Skin Shedding || Akari || One Piece Fanfiction

2. Common Sacrifices♦️

Please watch the video AFTER reading this chapter^^
If you do... you won't understand a thing...

Chapter 2: Common Sacrifices
♠️Present

As they sang with their loudest voice, the waves of the ocean rocked against the ship. The sails were tight up, while a few candlers lighted up the deck. "Akari, sweetheart, come inside. You will catch a cold if you stay here any longer."

She kept staring at the sea, seeing the waves pass by while the captain's voice filled her ears. Catch a cold? I only get tired if I don't stand in the sun for more than two days... With his hand on her shoulder, they watched the darkness for quite some time.

I can see the waves jumping over each other, trying to get higher than their previous height. Can he also see it? Or does his eyes wander in the darkness? Akari looked at the captain from the corner of her eye, gazing at him while he was focused on the sky above the two pirates.

For all the times she saw Shanks on deck, she never had seen him so... natural? He was calm and relaxed, almost as he was thinking about the thing he loves the most. Does he have a wife? Waiting for him at home? Maybe some kids?

Like, he would be a great father. Even if he drinks a lot, something shines in that man's soul. It could be his protective side or a side he never shows to the crew every day...

Eventually some crew members started to notice that their captain was gone, causing them to scream more than sing. The one-armed pirate softly pulled her along, while teasing her that she has to be careful with drinking.

That could have started since Shanks had found her a few times, gulping down some booze. The cheeks on her face all red and her eyes expressing the state of drunkenness. Each time he dragged her back to her bedroom, tucking her in bed with care.

Even if it has been two weeks since I was found, things aren't as bad as it seems. Here, they know me by the name Akari. It's not a name I made up, it's my real name. To be honest this is one of the few times I introduce me with my real name.

Crocodile, though. He thinks I'm a dude... even though I was just camouflaged as one, I expected him to see through it! Glad he didn't. While I worked for him, I noticed he did in fact; changed.

Croco knows me, I mean my female being me, Akari, but that was more than ten years ago... It would be dangerous if he finds out I left village, things that would turn the tables. It's risky if people find out I'm two persons; the past will mix up with the present.

Before she knew it, she was joining a drinking competition. Some took big gulps, trying to get the rum away as fast as possible. Others slowly drank but also ended up behind, they were most of the time eyeing the woman; looking as she kept up her drinking rhythm at super speed.

One after another, until there were only six candidates left. The four top crew members of Shanks, the captain himself and of course the, pretty, drunk woman. She was second place, trying to beat Shanks. The one with a big piece of meat fell backwards, taking two of the others with him to the ground.

Three men down, while the last three pirates are still conscious and drinking. When I worked for Crocodile, I drank allot with the Baroque Works Agents. Sometimes, even with Sir Crocodile himself! I tried to keep that at its minimum, preventing to speak about something from the past.